Blissfully Annoyed
by AkaiiDenetsu
Summary: Sasuke must help Sakura find something precious that she lost. If he doesn't...she'll freak out! But...is the drama all for naught? NOTE: horizontal lines indicate a change in POV point of view . The story starts out in Sasuke's POV.


_This is pointless._

Sasuke thought as he walked along the bank of a small meandering river in the forests of Konoha. He was supposed to find a star shaped rock that Sakura had lost. Well, he wasn't technically _supposed_ to find it...it was just the fact that if he didn't, she would never stop fussing over it. She had told Kakashi-sensei that it was her grandmother's and it had been given to her just before her grandmother passed away.

_Sakura is such an idiot. How can you possibly lose something like that---something supposedly important to you; something you love?_

Sasuke seemed to know more than anyone what _that_ felt like. "Hmph. This is taking forever." Sasuke muttered, beyond the stage of simple annoyance. He kicked insignificant rocks out of his way.

_This search is going to last _way_ too long._

* * *

_I am such an idiot!_ Sakura kicked herself mentally. _I dropped it! How could I do something like that?!_ Sakura sulked on the bridge over the river where she used to meet her sensei before training sessions. "This is stupid." She whispered under her breath. Sasuke looked up at her. _Ahhhhhnnnnn...why does he have to look at me like that?! Ugg. He probably wants to kill me..._

* * *

_If she loves it so much, then why isn't she helping me look for it?!_

Sasuke glared at Sakura.

_She looks pitiful._

Sasuke continued his search for the stone. It had been at least three hours since they---_he_---started looking.

_This is hopeless._

"Sasuke-kun!" Sasuke turned expectantly then sighed. "What is it, Sakura?" Sasuke was extremely annoyed. "Well...um..." Her voice trailed off. "What?" Sasuke was eyeing her suspiciously. "Uh...you don't have to help me, Sasuke-kun. It's my fault that its lost. I don't want you to...waste your time...and---" Sakura looked down at the water. Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You'll find it faster if I help you. We have a mission today." Sakura looked up at him, suprised at his helpful tone. "Quit acting like such an idiot!" Sasuke was trying to get her to quit feeling sorry for herself.

_She always acts like this. Just once...I wish she'd have some confidence in herself._

* * *

"Sorry, Sasuke-kun. Let me help you look." Sakura heard him sigh, heavily. "You don't have to apologize, Sakura..." Sakura turned away from him. He could be so cold sometimes. But yet...it was like some kind of warmth was there...did he really care at all? Maybe just a little? Sakura let out a sigh of her own. "Sasuke...kun..." Sasuke's eyes turned towards his teamate. "What is it this time?" His ebony eyes searching her emerald pools, she couldn't help but blush. "It...it's nothing..." Sakura caught a glimpse of curiosity in Sasuke's eyes. She giggled, quietly, at how cute that was to her. Sasuke's head turned back to her. "What?" He questioned, raising one of his slender eyebrows. She blushed again. "Oh! Uhmmm...nothing. Let's keep looking." Sasuke glared at Sakura as if to say, "You little liar. I know you're hiding something." Sakura bent down to begin her search. Every now and then, she would look over at Sasuke. Everything about him was purely 'Sasuke'. To her, words couldn't describe him.

* * *

_What is her problem?_

Sasuke noticed Sakura out of the corner of his eye. She constantly looked over at him and smiled.

_Okaaaay...what is she looking at me for?!_

Sasuke scowled. They were both eighteen. He had come back from his avenging days. Itachi was out of the picture. What was left for him now? Sasuke had been an avenger until...what he was avenging was taken care of. And now, what is there for him? He'd been going on missions with Sakura and occasionally Naruto. Naruto was in line to be Hokage. Who knows? He'll probably succeed soon enough. The Akatsuki had their alliances with Konoha since Sasuke killed his brother---and those were _thin_ alliances. Also, the leader had revealed himself as...Yondaime. That's right. The fourth. Naruto was taken brutally back by this. The 4th was his father. It must have been hard for him. Sasuke remembered Yondaime talking about Naruto's mother. She had always been an Akatsuki. Since birth.

The former avenger was left with his thoughts...for awhile.

* * *

_I wish he would talk to me a little more._ Sakura sighed again. _I know that I'll never truly understand him...but...I just wish he would talk about his problems. _Sakura looked over at Sasuke. He was scanning the rocks and stones underneath a foot of water. _It's probably hard for him though..._  
Sakura's hands helped her eyes search. There were so many of them! This search could last forever!!!_Wait!_  
"Sasuke-kun! I have an idea!"

* * *

"Idea?" Sasuke tilted his head.

_What is she up to now?_

"If I focus my chakra in my hands, I might be able to ease the searching!" "Huh? How?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Uhm...I'm not really sure how it'll help but...It's worth a try right?" Sakura beamed, her eyes bright. "Sure. Why not?" Sasuke walked over to her. Nodding he told her to begin. Slowly, her hands glowed light blue and she placed them on the water. The surface rippled and blue lights roamed the currents of the river. Sakura closed her eyes and breathed in slowly. Sasuke waited patiently. He was ready to leave the bridge a _long_ time ago. Suddenly, Sakura exhaled and opened her eyes. "I found it!" Sakura got up and ran over to a spot in the water that had formed into a small pool. Dunking her hand in, she pulled out a bluish pink star.

_Her smile is so..._

_warm._

Sakura ran to Sasuke's side. "See?" She grabbed Sasuke's hand and placed the stone in his palm. Sasuke brought the stone closer to his coal eyes and smiled slightly. "This must be very dear to you." Sasuke handed it to her. "Hmm..." Sakura smiled, softly, blushing. Sasuke placed it back in her hand, as hopes of at least feeling like he participated in some way.

_Great, now we can leave._

Sasuke beamed inside. He wanted to train awhile before the mission. And if anything, he was hungrier than Naruto. "Hey...Sakura?" Sakura eyed Sasuke closely. "What is it, Sasuke-kun?" "Hn." Sasuke looked down. "You hungry?" Sakura looked suprised. "Huh?" Sasuke mentally kicked himself.

_What have I gotten myself into?!_

"Uh...do you wanna go get something to eat?" Sasuke sighed heavily. "Well...uhm..." Sakura had a puzzled look on her face. "You have something else planned?" Sasuke was getting impatient with himself.

_Why did I have to ask her that question?!_

"No...uhm..." "You don't have to come with me, if you don't want to." Sasuke turned to leave. "No! Sasuke-kun! I would want nothing more than to go with you! It's just that..." "What?" "You...you're acting different. You've been going on so many missions with me, and you've been a lot more...I don't know. You've just...you've changed so much." Sasuke looked up at the soft summer sky. "Orochimaru is dead. I don't have to worry about him anymore. Itachi is dead. He's finally out of the picture. I killed my own brother in order to avenge my clan. My purpose has been fulfilled. I need to revive my clan. But...I want to be happy. I want to try to be happy. I want to spend time with my best friends. I want to find a way to apologize for everything I've done. Besides, how am I supposed to make a girl happy if I'm miserable?" Sasuke heard sobbing. "Sakura?" He turned his head to see tears streaming down her face. "Sa...Sasuke...kun! I'm so sorry..." Sasuke stepped towards her. "What are you saying?" "I...I've been so useless to you over all those years! I never once tried to understand what it must be like to be you. I only felt sorry for myself...I feel so...so stupid. I'm sorry that...I was so selfish." "Sakura..." Sasuke placed his hands on her shoulders and looked down into her eyes. "It's alright." He pulled her close to him. "If anyone was selfish, it was me." Sakura couldn't take this anymore. All the years of pain and sorrow that had been held in for so long, were finally released. Sakura buried her face in Sasuke's chest, sobbing and choking on tears. She cried for all the moments she hadn't. Sasuke didn't know what to do.

_God help me. This is like some cheesy scene in a romance novel._

"Sakura. Stop crying. Please." She looked up at him with honest eyes. "Sasuke-kun...I'm...sorry." She whispered softly, her lips barely parting. "Hn. So? Are you hungry?" Sakura's eyes brightened up as Sasuke wiped away her tears. She nodded, blushing. "Don't cry, Sakura. You're a ninja, so act like one! Anyway...I'm here now. No one gets in the way of Sasuke Uchiha." Sakura giggled. "What?" Sasuke frowned. "No one?" Sakura asked playfully. "Hn." Sasuke was taken aback. "Ramen?" The suggestion hung in the air. No interruptions from a certain blonde-haired fox boy came. "Uh...sure." Sasuke nodded once. Sakura's hands slid down to his and took their place. Smiling, she turned, walking with a best friend who meant the world to her. Sasuke thought, just for a moment, that he would soon be the happiest person in the whole world. Finally. For once more, he would be happy.

_I guess this is okay. Right now...my world...is her..._

A small smirk crept across his lips.


End file.
